Oshiomhole abolishes 35-year retirement policy for Edo workers

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has abolished the 35-year retirement policy for workers in the state. The workers are now to retire at the age of 60 regardless of whether they have put in 35 years in the state civil service.

Delivering the independence anniversary gift to the workers at a meeting with labour leaders at Government House yesterday, Oshiomhole described the policy requiring workers to retire after 35 years of service as obnoxious.

According to him, “Our own anniversary gift to workers of Edo State, especially those in the public service, has to do with the issue of pension. Over the years, while I was in the NLC, I had wondered why we have a policy in the public sector, which is unique to the public sector, in which we appear to punish experience. We are compelled to retire because you have put in X number of years.

“Having taken the pains to clean up our records and carry out appropriate biometrics of our public servants and made corrections where errors were discovered, I believe that about 90 to 95 per cent of our records as regard age can now be said to be correct.

“That being so, there is no reason for us to continue to use our obnoxious policy of 35 years as a basis to determine one’s years of service in the public service. Therefore, government has decided to abolish this policy and uphold only that aspect of retirement that has to do with age.

“So in Edo State, with effect from today (Thursday), I will effect an executive order to abolish the federal circular which imposes 35 years as a condition for retirement. Henceforth, Edo State public servants shall retire only when they have attained the age of 60. However, if any public official chooses to retire earlier, that will be seen as a voluntary retirement and will be accordingly allowed to retire,” he said.

He added: “In other climes, number of years of experience is something to be rewarded. It is not a basis for termination or forced retirement, but I do understand that some other aspects of our national life, we have evolved policies on seeking the easiest escape route to a complex problem because government could not cope with the issues of falsification of age, people swearing to false affidavit. I think over the period, government appeared to have resolved the issue by compelling everybody to retire once there is evidence that you have put in 35 years.”

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Oshiomhole abolishes 35-year retirement policy for Edo workers